Join the Conversation

Chief Justice Rush sounds right to Lafayette legal community

Chris Morisse Vizza, cvizza@jconline.com
9:34 a.m. EDT August 7, 2014

Loretta Rush, right, hugs Kay Landon after swearing her in as a court appointed special advocates volunteer. Landon was the last CASA volunteer sworn in by the Tippecanoe Superior Court 3 judge, who on Wednesday was chosen to be chief justice of the Indiana Supreme Court.
(Photo:
October 2012 file photo/Journal & Courier
)

"It's incredible to think that in two years she's become the spokesperson and leader of all the judges in the state of Indiana," said Randy Williams, judge of Superior Court 1.

Daniels, now president of Purdue University, issued the following statement about Rush's elevation to chief justice.

"With four stellar candidates to consider, the committee could not have gone wrong, but they also could not have done better. Every Hoosier has reason to celebrate this outstanding choice; I know I am."

Even more remarkable than the fact that Rush is the state's first female chief justice is the notion that consecutive chief justices came from the same law firm.

Rush will succeed Brent Dickson, who is stepping down after serving two years as chief justice. He will concentrate on legal research and writing until he reaches the mandatory retirement age for justices, 75, in July 2016.

Dickson was a senior partner when the Lafayette law firm hired Rush after she received her law degree from Indiana University Maurer School of Law in Bloomington and passed the state bar exam.

"I think it speaks to the quality of our judicial and bar association members," County Clerk Christa Coffey said.

Reiling said he is still absorbing the news.

"We've had two chief justices come from our law firm," he said. "I pinch myself when I think about that."